Juggling tool for training and enhanced performance

ABSTRACT

A central cylindrical tube has one or more end funnels or cones for easy catching of juggled objects, such as balls. A pair of side openings in the central tube admit a finger of the user for stopping a ball or other juggled object in the central tube. Stopping and releasing the balls and throwing the balls in a timing determined by the user allows the user to learn to juggle in an easy and fun manner in a short period of time at the user&#39;s own pace. The juggling tool may be used as a skill toy for dexterity and eye-hand coordination training and also be used to add new tricks to the performances of experienced jugglers, enabling them to be more versatile in styles and ways of catching and releasing the juggled objects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to juggling tools and in particular to a juggling tool and skill toy which can be used to learn the art of juggling easily and enjoyably as well as to enhance juggling performance by those already skilled in the art of juggling.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Juggling skill often requires a substantial amount of time to acquire and master. Would be jugglers are often discouraged by the difficulty and frustration of learning juggling and many give up without acquiring the skill.

[0005] In programs for children it is often desirable to provide broad based skill training in manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination. Juggling is a skill that holds a fascination for many people, especially youngsters and would be a rewarding skill to learn in school physical education programs and other programs for developing better manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination, if there were an easy and fun way to learn to juggle.

[0006] Furthermore, experienced jugglers are always looking for new juggling tools and objects to enhance their performance and add more tricks to their juggling shows.

[0007] The prior art patents do not provide inventions which make it easy and fun to learn to juggle in a short period of time nor do they combine a tool for learning to juggle which may also be used to add new tricks and more entertainment value to the performances of experienced jugglers.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,403, issued Jun. 6, 1950 to E. J. Krupp, describes a game apparatus for tossing and catching a ball comprising a substantially semi-circular guide having a ball-receiving funnel on one end of two upturned ends thereof.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,027, issued Aug. 30, 1977 to Manska, shows an elongated member having two ends and a surface therebetween over which a body may be directed, the surface containing a center line of symmetry along the length thereof and being progressively curved along the center line with a radius of curvature adjacent one end gradually increasing in magnitude to a larger radius of curvature adjacent the other end such that the curvature adjacent the other end substantially approximates the path of the body in motion which may be intercepted by the elongated member and which curvature progressively increases from the other end to the one end to smoothly deflect and change the direction of the intercepted body from the original path. A pair of rail members is attached to the surface of the elongated member, the rail members flaring progressively outwardly symmetrically about the center line from the one end to the other end to form a substantially wide flat area adjacent the other end bounded by the flared rail members such that a body which may be intercepted by the substantially wide flat area is smoothly directed along the surface between the flared rail members with a minimum number of contacts therewith as the body traverses the length of and is ejected from the elongated member. A preferred embodiment of the moving body which may be used with the elongated member is a spherical member having a spherical core, a spherical interliner surrounding the spherical core and an outer shell surrounding the spherical interliner, the spherical interliner having a low coefficient of elasticity and a minimum mass and the outer shell having a mass substantially equivalent to the mass of the spherical core and having an outer surface with a minimum coefficient of friction with respect to the surface of the elongated member whereby the spherical member may move freely over the surface of the elongated member and substantially will not bounce therefrom when intercepted thereby. In FIG. 14, Manska shows stopping the ball in the middle of the device between the end scoops.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,174, issued Sep. 5, 1989 to Cummings, claims a hand-held catching and throwing device for maintaining an aerial projectile, such as a ball, in continuous flight or motion. The device includes an elongated, rigid, transparent double-ended tube providing a passage for receiving and projecting a projectile at or from either end, and a scoop-shaped throwing and catching member attached to each end of the tubular member and having a curved surface over which the projectile may be directed at or from an open end of the tubular member by baton-like manipulation.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,632, issued May 5, 2001 to Obsniuk, describes a hand-held, hand-manipulated catch ball game comprising a ball used with an assembly of two opposing receptacles, one above the other, each having ball exit openings positioned to direct the ball along an open ended track. A handle is located at the track side midway between the receptacles and the track ends. The assembly handle is held by the player's hand with the thumb of the hand toward the open end of the track. The ball is placed on the receptacle end of the track and the assembly is tilted to roll the ball down the track. As the ball nears the track end, the player manipulates the assembly to throw the ball a short distance upward into the air. The player then quickly rotates the assembly approximately one hundred eighty degrees to catch the ball in the previously downward facing receptacle. Having caught the ball, the assembly is again tilted to roll the ball down the track to be thrown and caught again to continue to play, with alternately clockwise/counterclockwise rotation, to see how many times the ball can be thrown and caught without having to replace the ball on the track by hand.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 9,392,978, issued Jul. 16, 1968 to Wiest, discloses a ball projecting and catching device having a funnel shaped scoop at one end.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,254, issued May 21, 1996 to Lyons, is for an aid for learning to juggle. An inclined, flat, surfaced ramp to simplify and accelerate learning to juggle. One or more balls are rolled up and down the ramp rather than tossed freely in the air. Rolling makes the balls move more slowly and gives the user more control over their trajectory. The angle of the ramp is increased as the user's skill level improves, causing the balls to roll faster, until free-fall speed is achieved and the training aid is no longer needed. Inscribed or printed patterns on the Base Board or Rolling Surface show a recommended pattern for the ball's trajectory. Ramp may have Retaining Ledges at top and/or bottom to keep balls from rolling off the ends of the board. Base Board may be fabricated in sections and optionally hinged in the middle to allow it to fold for easier carrying and storage.

[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,883, issued Jan. 10, 1989 to Ratner, illustrates a method and apparatus for juggling. An amusement device, useful for ocular as well as hand-eye coordination exercises, takes the form of a rod with two removable end balls and a positionally adjustable intermediate ball. The rod is manipulated, twirled and juggled by means of two hand-held juggling wands in a variety of ways to effect different exercises. The balls are visibly distinguishable, preferably by color, to permit a user to focus on a specific ball while the rod is twirling and to catch the rod with that ball in a prescribed orientation. The adjustable ball permits selective adjustment of the center of gravity of the rod and correspondingly adjusts the rod trajectory so as to increase and decrease the difficulty of each exercise. One or more individuals can use the juggled rod, each holding a pair of juggling wands.

[0015] What is needed is a juggling tool which makes it easy and fun to learn to juggle in a short period of time and which may also be used to add new tricks and more entertainment value to the performances of experienced jugglers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a juggling tool which makes it easy and fun to learn to juggle in a short period of time by enabling easy catching and stopping of the juggled object which can be released as desired and which juggling tool may also be used to add new tricks and more entertainment value to the performances of experienced jugglers by being versatile in styles and ways of catching the juggled item in either of two or more cone-shaped ends and in side apertures and in different parts of the hand holding the tool and to allow the timing of the passage of the juggled item through the juggling tool.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held tube with a finger aperture and a cone or funnel at each end for a skill toy related to juggling and a means to learn to juggle and develop juggling skills by being able to catch a juggled item easily and control when the item is released by retaining the juggled item inside the tool with a finger inserted in the aperture.

[0018] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a means in which to learn how to juggle in a short period of time, avoiding loss of interest prior to learning the art of juggling.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is to provide a skill toy in the form of the juggling tool of the present invention to help children and adults to develop manual dexterity and better eye-hand coordination is an easy fun way.

[0020] In brief, a central tube or cylinder has transverse opposing openings on each side sufficiently large to admit a finger of a user inserted therein. Attached to the tube at each end communicating with the circular end openings of the tube is a cone or funnel for catching a juggled item, such as a ball therein. The central tube is just large enough in diameter to let the ball pass through, but the user can stop the ball inside the tube by inserting a finger therein.

[0021] The present invention provides an easy way to learn to juggle since it is easy to catch the ball because the cones have large outer diameters and an easy way to learn to juggle because the user may toss a first ball in the air and easily catch the ball in the juggling tool and hold the ball within the central tube with the user's finger. Then after tossing a second ball in the air with the hand not holding the juggling tool, the user may then release the first ball from inside the tube into the tossing hand and catch the second ball in the juggling tool and hold it therein until tossing the first ball again and holding the tossing hand under the juggling tool. This process can easily be repeated and at the desired pace of the user, so that the user is able to experience success in learning to juggle immediately and have fun in the process.

[0022] The experienced juggler can use the juggling tool in a variety of ways to enhance a juggling performance with new tricks by catching and throwing the balls in various ways employing the juggling tool.

[0023] One advantage of this invention is that a first juggled item may be stopped and held while another is thrown in the air and the first released into the throwing hand with timing determined by the user according to the developing skill of the user.

[0024] A related advantage of the present invention is that it teaches the proper catch and release timing needed in the art of juggling.

[0025] Another advantage of the present invention is in providing a fun and quick way to learn how to juggle, averting frustration and resignation prior to learning.

[0026] A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an easy fun skill toy for children and adults to develop manual dexterity and better eye-hand coordination.

[0027] An additional advantage of the present invention is to provide other methods of juggling and new juggling tricks to those already experienced in the art, and enhancing the entertainment value of their juggling act.

[0028] One more advantage of the present invention is that it is easy to catch the juggled object in the juggling tool.

[0029] Yet another advantage of the present invention is the ability to learn at the users pace, since the user controls the timing of the catch and release of the juggled items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

[0031]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention having a central tube with an oval side finger opening with a cone at each end and showing a ball falling into the top cone;

[0032]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the ball inside the invention being held in the palm of a users hand which is holding the end of the bottom cone of the invention;

[0033]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a first ball inside the central tube being retained therein by a finger of the user inserted through one of the two opposing rectangular side openings and showing a second ball in the air falling toward the top cone;

[0034]FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the invention held horizontally with a ball resting in a side finger opening after catching the ball in that fashion;

[0035]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a central tube with four cones attached at cardinal points to the central tube and having a diamond shaped side opening;

[0036]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a central tube with four cones attached at cardinal points to the central tube and having a circular shaped side opening;

[0037]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a central tube with one cone attached at one end and two cones attached at the opposite end to the central tube and having a pentagonal shaped side opening;

[0038]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a central tube with a single cone attached at only one end of the central tube and having a triangular shaped side opening;

[0039]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a central tube with a pair of rectangular or square side openings and a spiral passageway having a conical outer end opening attached at each end of the central tube.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0040] In FIGS. 1-3 and 3A, a juggling skill tool or juggling device 20 for learning to juggle and for performing various juggling tricks with objects to be juggled, such as balls 30, comprises a central tube 21 and end funnels or cones 22.

[0041] The cylindrically shaped central tube 21 has a central passageway that is sufficiently large to admit a juggled object, such as a ball 30 through the length of it, and openings 24 at each of two opposing ends of the central tube 21 communicating with the central passageway. The end openings 24 are each sufficiently large to admit the juggled object 30 therethrough. There is at least one side opening, and preferably two side openings which in this preferred embodiment are oval openings 23 which make the juggling tool easy to spin around the finger for doing tricks and for catching a ball 30 in the opening as seen in FIG. 3A with the juggling tool 20 held horizontally. The side openings 23 are large enough to admit at least one finger of a user so that the juggled object, such as the ball 30A may be retained by the finger of the user, as seen in FIG. 3. The side opening may have any of a variety of shapes including the oval side opening 23 of FIGS. 1-3, the diamond shaped side opening 23A of FIG. 4, the circular side opening 23B of FIG. 5, the pentagonal side opening 23C of FIG. 6, the triangular side opening 23D if FIG. 7, the rectangular or square side opening 23E of FIG. 8, or any other shape with an opening large enough to admit a finger of the user through the opening.

[0042] At least one catching element 22, preferably a funnel or cone shaped element is attached to the central tube 21 on at least one end of the central tube 21, the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 and 3A having a funnel or cone shaped catching element 22 at each of two ends of the central tube 21. Each catching element 22 has a catching passageway 25 and a catching element opening at each end of the catching element 22. A first catching element opening mates with the end opening 24 of the central tube 21 and communicates with the end opening and the central passageway of the central tube 21. The first catching element opening is capable of admitting a juggled object, such as a ball 30 therethrough. The catching element has a peripheral surface 25 which expands in size from the first catching element opening at central tube opening 24 out to a second catching element opening 26 away from the central tube 21. The second catching element opening 26 is sufficiently larger than the first catching element opening so that the second catching element opening 26 provides an opening area sufficiently wider than the juggled object, such as the ball 30 so that the juggled object is easily caught therein and channeled to the central tube 21 wherein the juggling object, the ball 30A, is capable of being retained by a finger of the user inserted in the at least one side opening 23, as seen in FIG. 3.

[0043] In FIG. 2, the ball 30 may also be held in a stationary position in the palm of the hand of the user with the hand holding the juggling tool 20 under a bottom catching element opening 26.

[0044] In FIG. 3A, the ball 30 is caught and held in a stationary position in a side opening 23 with the juggling tool 20 held in a horizontal orientation.

[0045] Various embodiments of the invention having different numbers and shapes of catching elements and differently shaped side openings all fit within the scope of the invention as claimed.

[0046] In FIGS. 1-3 and 3A, the preferred embodiment of the juggling tool 20 has a central tube 21 with a pair of oval shaped side openings 23 and with a cone 22 attached at each end of the central tube 21.

[0047] In FIGS. 4-5, another embodiment of the juggling tool 20A shows the central tube 21A as having two additional openings on opposing sides of the central tube 21A spaced apart from the diamond (or tilted square) shaped side opening 23A of FIG. 4 and the circular side opening 23B of FIG. 5. A funnel or cone shaped catching element 22 is attached to each of the two additional openings so that the juggling tool 20A has four catching elements 22 at cardinal points around the central tube 21A.

[0048] In FIG. 6 another embodiment of the juggling tool 20B has a central tube 21B, with a pentagonal side opening 23C, which central tube 21B has one cone 22 attached at one end of the central tube 21B and at least two cones 22A attached at another end of the central tube 21B both communicating with the bottom end opening of the central tube 21B.

[0049] In FIG. 7 another alternate embodiment of the juggling tool 20C has a cylindrically shaped central tube 21 with a single funnel or cone shaped catching element 22 at only one end of the central tube 21. The other end opening 24 of the central tube 21 is open leading into the central passageway 28 of the central tube 21 with a triangular side opening 23D providing finger access to the central passageway 28.

[0050] In FIG. 8 another embodiment of the juggling tool 20D has a cylindrically shaped central tube 21 with a rectangular (or square) side opening 23E on each side and a catching element 22A at each end of the central tube 21. Each catching element 22A comprises a spiral passageway 29 with a funnel or cone shaped catching element 21A on the outer end with a catching end opening 26. Each spiral passageway 29 is mated to an end of the central tube 21.

[0051] As seen in FIG. 3, in practice the juggling tool 20 is held in one hand (say a left hand) with a finger inserted in one of the two side openings 23. The right hand throws a first ball 30A up in the air above the tool 20 and the first ball 30A is caught in the top cone 22 of the tool 20 with a finger of the left hand retaining the first ball 30A in the central tube 21. Then the right hand throws a second ball 30B up in the air above the tool 20. The right hand is then held under the tool 20 and the first ball 30A released by the left hand finger into the right hand. Then the second ball 30B is caught in the tool 20 and held in the central tube 21 while the first ball 30A is thrown in the air again with the right hand. The process is repeated according to the timing set by the user with throwing and releasing of the balls done at the level of skill and comfort and enjoyment of the user for an easy painless fun way to learn to juggle.

[0052] The experienced juggler can use the juggling tool in a variety of ways to enhance a juggling performance with new tricks and with any desired number of balls or other juggling objects including juggling the juggling tool itself and spinning the juggling tool around the finger. Some possibilities for tricks include various combinations of catching a ball at either end of the juggling tool by turning the juggling tool around in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, holding an end of the juggling tool and catching the ball which falls into the palm of the juggler as in FIG. 2 as well is holding the end of the juggling tool against any other part of the body to catch the ball in the juggling tool and have the ball rest against the other parts of the body as it rests against the palm in FIG. 2, catching and throwing the ball with the juggling tool held behind the back or between the legs or any other positions made easy by the large catching opening of the juggling tool, throwing the ball up in the air with the juggling tool itself, catching and throwing the ball on one of the openings in the side of the central tube is in FIG. 3A, catching and holding a number of balls in the tube at once, catching and throwing the ball with the juggling tool itself, catching and throwing the ball with portions of the hand holding the juggling tool, such as between the thumb and forefinger or in the palm of the hand, juggling the tool itself, or any combination of these tricks or other types of tricks.

[0053] The juggling tool is preferably fabricated of light weight molded plastic in various colors and textures and with glitter molded in or any desired applied ornamentation. The outside of the juggling tool may be imprinted or molded with advertising information. It is preferably fabricated in a size which is convenient and easy to manipulate, to hold an end in the palm, to spin around the side opening, and pass back and forth between hands for ambidextrous usage. While balls of various types are the preferred juggling objects, other objects may be used which fit within the central tube.

[0054] It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A juggling device for learning to juggle and for performing various juggling tricks with objects to be juggled, the device comprising: a central tube having a central passageway therethrough sufficiently large to admit a juggled object therethrough and an opening at each of two opposing ends of the central tube communicating with the central passageway, the end openings each sufficiently large to admit the juggled object therethrough, and having at least one side opening sufficiently large to admit at least one finger of a user therethrough so that the juggled object may be retained therein by the finger of the user; at least one catching element attached to the central tube on at least one end of the central tube, the catching element communicating with the end opening and the central passageway, the catching element having a catching passageway and a catching element opening at each end wherein a first catching element opening mates with the end opening of the central tube and communicates with the end opening and the central passageway of the central tube, and the first catching element opening is capable of admitting a juggled object therethrough, the catching element having a peripheral surface which expands in size from the first catching element opening out to a second catching element opening away from the central tube, the second catching element opening being sufficiently larger than the first catching element opening so that the second catching element opening provides an opening area sufficiently wider than the juggled object so that the juggled object is easily caught therein and channeled to the central tube wherein the juggling object is capable of being retained by a finger of the user inserted in the at least one side opening.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the central tube comprises a cylindrical tube and the at least one catching element comprises a cone.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the central tube has one cone attached at one end of the central tube and at least two cones attached at another end of the central tube, each of the cones communicating with one of the end openings of the central tube.
 4. The device of claim 2 wherein the central tube has a cone attached at each end of the central tube, each of the cones communicating with one of the end openings of the central tube.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the central tube has at least one additional opening communicating with the central passageway, the at least one additional opening being sufficiently large to admit the juggled object therethrough and further comprising at least one additional cone attached to the at least one additional opening.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein the central tube has two additional openings on opposing sides of the central tube spaced from the at least one finger opening and at least one cone attached to each of the two additional openings.
 7. The device of claim 1 having a side opening on each of two opposing sides of the central tube each of the side openings being capable of admitting a finger of a user therein.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the central tube comprises a cylindrical tube and the at least one catching element comprises a spiral passageway having a conical outer end opening.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the central tube has a spiral passageway having a conical outer end opening attached at each end of the central tube, each of the spiral passageways communicating with one of the end openings of the central tube.
 10. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one side opening is configured in a shape taken from the list of shapes including an oval, a circle, a square, a rectangle, a diamond, a triangle, a pentagon. 